Srinagar: Resistance leaders on Tuesday staged a sit-in protest at historic Jamia Masjid over the plight of the prisoners lodged in different jails.
The call for the protest was given by a Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik and the protest was participated by several resistance leaders and activists besides the kith and kins of the political prisoners lodged in different jails outside the Valley. The participants were carrying placards and banners were demanding better and human treatment with the prisoners. JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik addressed the protesters in person while Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq addressed them via telephone.
The JRL leaders while addressing the gathering on the occasion expressed serious concern over the plight of the prisoners lodged in different jails. They said even the orders of Indian court with regard to prisoners are completely disregarded as prisoners are suffering immense problems including mental and physical torture.
The JRL said it was ironical to see Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Central Jail Srinagar shifted to various prisons outside the Valley and termed the move as highly “autocratic and condemnable” in all means.
The Leadership said that the move to shift Kashmiri prisoners is a political vendetta aimed at adding more to the worries of the family members of inmates.
They said the move to shift the prisoners from Kashmir is in a brazen violation of the Indian Supreme Court guidelines which state that prisoners should be shifted to jails closer to their homes.
They said that the way Kashmiri prisoners are bearing the brunt of State’s onslaught in the form of mental and physical harassment, they deserve a big applaud and salute for their bravery and courage. They said entire Kashmiri nation was highly indebted to the courage of all the prisoners.
The JRL said that while trying to hide its weakness in wake of escape by Naveed from the police custody, the government and its forces are venting their anger and frustration on the innocent inmates, which is highly deplorable. The Leadership said the incident instead of being probed has triggered a frustration among the ranks and files of the ruling regime and its forces.
The JRL said that the Kashmiri prisoners, who are being shifted to other prisons, are facing trials in various courts of Srinagar and it seems a move to delay their trial also. They said that it seems that it’s a deliberate attempt to shift the prisoners which can’t only delay their trial but also prolong their “illegal” confinement in various prisons outside the State.
The JRL said that it was quite evident from the fact that the Kashmir prisoners lodged in various prisons outside the State are already facing a huge delay in trial thereby their period has prolonged in their respective prisons. They said that on one hand, these prisoners are deprived of the basic facilities guaranteed by the Geneva Convention and on the other hand, they are not being produced in the respective courts for trial.
The Leadership said the prisoners lodged in Tihar jail, Kathua, Hiranagar, Central Jail Srinagar, Kotbalwal Jail and other prisons are showing exemplary courage which deserves a salute and stated that all the prisoners should be released without any pre-condition and further delay.
The leadership urged the world international bodies including Amnesty International, ICRC, Asia Watch and other forums to play their part to ensure the immediate release of Kashmir’s political prisoners, who are facing endless problems in various prisons across India.
Besides relatives of various prisoners, resistance leaders and workers, members from the Shahr-e-Khass traders fraternity also participated in the peaceful sit in and demanded immediate release of prisoners and roll back of the decision of shifting of prisoners to outside valley.
